Video: Applying EQ

Equalizers, or EQs, are used to boost or cut selected frequencies within a signal. In this video, I am going to show you how to apply an EQ to an audio track, as well as demonstrate some of the more radical EQ plug-ins in Pro Tools. There are several reasons to apply EQ: to improve the tone quality or timbre of an instrument; to create a special effect, like a telephone vocal sound; to help a track stand out in the mix; to fix mic choice and placement problems like frequency, leakage, and noise issues; to make up for inadequacies in the recording equipment; to create a better blend of instruments; and to improve the sound of the overall mix if applied to the master output.

Pro Tools 9 Essential Training with musician and producer David Franz demonstrates concepts and techniques necessary for recording, editing, mixing, and mastering in the industry-standard software for music and post-production. The course covers creating music with virtual instruments and plugins, editing with elastic audio for time and pitch manipulation, creating a musical score, and mixing with effects loops. Exercise files accompany the course.

Applying EQ

Equalizers, or EQs, are used to boost or cut selected frequencies within a signal.In this video, I am going to show you how to apply an EQ to an audio track, aswell as demonstrate some of the more radical EQ plug-ins in Pro Tools.There are several reasons to apply EQ: to improve the tone quality or timbre ofan instrument; to create a special effect, like a telephone vocal sound; to help atrack stand out in the mix; to fix mic choice and placement problems likefrequency, leakage, and noise issues; to make up for inadequacies in therecording equipment; to create a better blend of instruments; and to improve thesound of the overall mix if applied to the master output.

Most home and car stereos have some form of equalizers. Even the simplest bassand treble controls are equalizers.Their purpose is the same as the EQ plug-ins that you use in Pro Tools;however, Pro Tools mixing EQ tools are more advanced and give us more controlover the EQ parameters, allowing us to alter specific and controllable frequency ranges.Let me show you how to apply EQ.We'll start with the stock 7-Band EQ in Pro Tools.I've already got it inserted on this acoustic guitar track.

This is a parametric EQ, which enables us to control three parameters:the central frequency--or freq--the boost--or cut, the gain--and the width ofthe effected frequency range--Q.The central frequency is the frequency that you want to adjust.For example, say you want to reduce the low end muddy frequencies on thisacoustic guitar track.So let's go over here, and I am going to choose 300 hertz, or thereabouts.So by moving this, I moved this orange circle, and I've set the center frequencyright around 300 hertz.

Gain is the amount of increase or decrease in amplitude that we want to apply tothe center frequency.If you want a slight reduction in the guitar part, let's cut it by 1 to 3 db.Or for a more drastic change, go down to 6 to 9.The third parameter, Q, is the width of the boost, or cut region, around the central frequency.Right now, it's pretty wide, with a value of 1.If we increase the Q, it becomes much more narrow.

The Q determines the degree to which frequencies near the center frequencyare boosted or cut.As you can see here, a high Q value yields a narrow width for affecting a smallrange of frequencies,while low Qs--like closer to 1-- provide expanded widths to encompass a largerange of frequencies.So let's hear what this sounds like.I am going to solo the guitar part and change the gain back to 0, and we'll hearwhat this sounds like.(Music playing.)With a low Q value, a lot of frequencies were taken out, and it really thinnedout the sound of that acoustic guitar.

When you are looking for the frequency that you want to adjust, try this technique:it's called the 'Boost and Twist.'So you put an EQ on the track like we have here, and then you increase thegain significantly.We'll put it up to about 12 db.Then you make the Q very narrow, as we already have here, and then we can sweepacross the frequency range until we find the frequency that we want to boost or cut.So we can take this Frequency control and go back and forth.So let's try this out and hear what it sounds like.

(Music playing.)Let's say I want to take out some of the nasally tone that I found here, rightaround this frequency: 627 hertz.So now that we've found the frequency, we'd actually dial the gain back down,and make it into a cut.

I can also decrease the Q and make it a wider cut, and let's hear what this sounds like.(Music playing.)It's a subtle but noticeable change, and you'll notice that I actually hit theBypass button here a few times to AB this.ABing means to go between A and B--that is, with the effect and without the effect.

One thing that we are also doing here is we are listening to the track in solo.Now, we don't want to EQ just while we're in solo, so we need to listen to thetrack with the rest of the tracks in the mix.We can make this track sound amazing by itself in solo, but it might notsound good in the mix.So you don't want to EQ in a vacuum by keeping the track in solo.Let's move on and discuss another common mixing practice called carving EQ holes.For example, let's say we have this acoustic guitar track and a vocal track.It's often a good idea to cut out some of the mids in the guitar to allow thevocals to have some more room in that frequency area where they sound the best,like between 1 and 4 kilohertz.

So let's cut out some 3 kilohertz from the guitar track.I am going to boost this up to about 3, bring the gain down, and make the Q alittle bit narrower.So now I have just carved a little EQ hole for the vocals to come in and shinethrough over the guitars in this area.Because we've taken out some EQ here, we might actually be able to boost someguitar frequencies in another range.So I am going to boost this up at around 6 kilohertz, and turn this into a peakEQ, increase the Q, and increase the gain.

Now, we've got a little bump at 6 kilohertz.Let's see what this sounds like.(Music playing.)This takes a little bit of bite out of the mids that will allow the vocals toshine through but then adds a little bit of shine to the guitars just abovewhere the vocal range is.Now something you should note here:I am not suggesting that each instrument should have its own dedicatedfrequency range in the mix.

Instruments will share frequencies,but clearing a path for the predominant frequencies of a certain instrument canmake your mix sound much clearer.Also be aware that any EQ settings you change on a particular instrument willaffect not only its sound, but also how the sound of that instrument interactswith all of the other instruments in the mix.Now, let's look at some of the more radical EQ effects you can add to yourtracks in Pro Tools.I am going to close this and solo the bass track.I am going to bring up this AIR KILL EQ, and currently it's bypassed.

Now, the KILL EQ is a 3-band EQ with kill switches on each band.With this plug-in, you can cut off the lows, mids, and highs.With the track playing, I will demonstrate some of the sonic possibilities forthis plug-in by tweaking the controls, as well as loading some of the presets.(Music playing.)Let's try another one. We've got the vintage filter set up here.

This is related to the KILL EQ but with some different parameters.The vintage filter is a resonant multimode filter--that is, an EQ--that can bemanually adjusted or modulated over time using the built-in Low FrequencyOscillator, or LFO, and an envelope follower.I am going to press Play and tweak this a little bit and have a little fun.(Music playing.)We've got a lot of opportunity to get creative with this plug-in.

So now you know how to properly EQ a track using the Boost and Twist method.You can also sonically sculpture tracks pretty radically with this EQ plug-ins,available in Pro Tools.

Learn by watching, listening, and doing, Exercise files are the same files the author uses in the course, so you can download them and follow along Premium memberships include access to all exercise files in the library.

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Learn by watching, listening, and doing! Exercise files are the same files the author uses in the course, so you can download them and follow along. Exercise files are available with all Premium memberships.
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